


Just Another 20 Questions--Agony Aunt

by jdrush



Series: 20 Questions [16]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Dialogue-Only, F/M, Humor, John is confused, M/M, Pre-Slash, Sarah is a good friend, with a few stage directions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:23:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29763738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jdrush/pseuds/jdrush
Summary: Missing scene from "The Great Game".  After John and Sherlock's 'little domestic',  John goes to visit Sarah.
Relationships: Sarah Sawyer & John Watson
Series: 20 Questions [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/766887
Kudos: 2





	Just Another 20 Questions--Agony Aunt

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: These boys belong to Moffat and Gatiss, BBC1, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. No betas were harmed in the making of this fic. All mistakes are mine.  
> AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm currently in the process of uploading some of my old stories to AO3. This story was originally posted to my livejournal January 16, 2011.

*doorbell rings*

“Just a moment.”

*door opens*

“Evening, Sarah.”

“John! What are you doing here?”

“That’s some greeting.”

“No, I mean. . .it’s nice to see you, of course. Bit of a surprise.”

“I know. I should have called. I’m sorry. Wasn’t thinking.”

“Let me guess. You and Sherlock had a row and you wanted someone to talk to.”

“Just really needed to see a friendly face.”

“Well, come on in. You’re letting in all the cold.”

“I don’t want to interrupt any plans.”

“Warmed-up take away and a ‘Luther’ rerun hardly constitute plans. Go on. Take off your coat. Make yourself at home.”

“Thank you. . .very kind.”

“So, what was it this time?”

“The usual.”

“Ah, another shopping trip to Bart’s morgue.”

“A head, Sarah! He’s got a bleeding head in our fridge!”

“Well, where else would he put it?”

“Not you, too.”

“Sorry. Wine?”

“Yes, please. And the most remarkable thing is he thinks nothing of it. Like it’s perfectly natural to have a severed head hanging around the flat. He’s certifiable.”

“I can put out some nibbles. . .”

“I’m good. Then when I confront him with it, explain quite reasonably and calmly that a head in the fridge is NOT normal, he attacks my blog, my character, my intellect, my continued existence in his world.”

“No one said he was easy to get along with.”

“THAT is an understatement. Just because the insensitive bugger has no feelings, he thinks he’s got the right to stomp all over mine. I probably wouldn’t even mind so much if he hadn’t shot up the sitting room.”

“He did what?!”

“He got a gun and shot a happy face into the wall. Mrs. Hudson is going to be furious.”

“Why would he do that?”

“A bored Sherlock is a dangerous Sherlock.”

“Where did he get the gun?”

“I. . .I don’t know. The point is, Sarah, Sherlock Holmes is without question the most infuriating, aggravating, insufferable, childish, obnoxious, exasperating. . .”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, John, just shag the boy and get over it.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You can stop pretending. I know you fancy Sherlock.”

“Whatever gave you that idea?!”

“I’ve given it some thought. . .”

“You’ve thought about me and Sherlock. . .together?”

“Yes. Occasionally. Usually after you’ve cut short yet another one of our dates because of his untimely texts.”

“I’m his colleague. That’s what colleagues do. That doesn‘t mean. . .”

“And you’ve never tried for anything more than a good-night kiss.”

“I was taking things slow.”

“You write about him all the time on your blog.”

“I write about our cases. We wouldn’t have cases if it weren’t for Sherlock.”

“Even now, just talking about him--you’re all flushed.”

“It’s the wine.”

“One glass? You’re a light-weight.”

“Sarah, I. . .I’m not. . .gay.”

“I never said you were. But you can’t deny that you’re besotted with your flatmate.”

“I most certainly can! I mean. . .I’m not. . .besotted. . .that is. . .”

“Which is fine, because he fancies you, too.”

“How much wine have you had tonight?”

“It’s so obvious. I can’t believe you haven’t seen it yourself.” 

“The only things I see are heads in my fridge, holes in my wall, and beakers and test-tubes all over my kitchen.”

“He loves you.”

“Sherlock doesn’t love anyone. . .even Sherlock.”

“John, he crashed our first date.”

“He was investigating a case.”

“And the way he looked at me when he introduced himself--he was seething with jealousy.”

“I doubt it was jealousy. He doesn’t feel jealousy. He doesn’t FEEL anything!”

“Then when we got back to your flat, he couldn’t wait to get rid of me.”

“He was trying to crack the cipher, that’s all. We were. . .disturbing him.”

“MY presence was disturbing him. More wine?”

“Thank you. And you’re taking this too personally. He DID rescue you, after all.”

“No, YOU rescued me by knocking that arrow off target. Sherlock only untied me.”

“Which is more than he would do for most folks. He’s not usually fond of people.”

“He’s fond of you.”

“He tolerates me.”

*shakes head* “That’s what he wants you to think, because he’s afraid to show you how he really feels about you.”

“Sherlock’s not afraid of anything.”

“He’s afraid of his emotions. He’s afraid of rejection. He’s put up a wall of indifference to keep from being hurt, but you’ve gotten through it somehow.”

“You don’t know him.”

“Maybe not. But I know when two people belong together.”

“Sarah, please. . .just stop.”

“Don’t tell me I’m wrong because I’m not.”

“No. . .I. . .” *resigned sigh* “You’re right. I care. . .deeply. . .for Sherlock. I tried not to, I really did, but since the first moment we met, there was. . .just. . .something. A pull I’ve never felt before. I kept hoping it would fade over time, but it just keeps growing brighter and I try so hard to ignore it but I can’t.”

“Oh, John, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize it was that bad.”

“I just. . .I’ve never, EVER, felt this way about a man before. I don’t know if it’s love. . .I really don’t know much of anything anymore.”

“And that’s why you’re trying to fight it.”

“Yeah.”

“You’ve got to tell him.”

“I can’t do that, Sarah.”

“Of course you can!”

“You don’t understand. We can never be together. . .like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’s married to his work. He’s even told me as much. Nothing could ever matter to him as much as the work.”

“You do.”

“Why are you saying these things, trying to pair us up?”

“You’re a nice bloke. You should be happy.”

“Not so nice. I’ve led you on.”

“I went willingly. Maybe I kept hoping I was wrong.”

“I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”

“I’m not hurt. A little disappointed, perhaps. There aren’t many good ones left out there, and it’s just my luck that when I find one, he’s already taken.”

“I really do like you, Sarah. I wasn’t just having you on.”

“I never thought you were. Here, let me top off your glass.”

“Lovely. I’m just so confused. I mean, I’m nearly 40 years old, and after a lifetime of dating women, I find myself attracted to my male flatmate. I just don’t know what to do.”

“You could start by talking to him, telling him what you told me.”

“So he can mock me again? Not interested.”

“He won’t mock you. He’s waiting for you to make the first move. He needs to know you return his feelings before he bares himself to you.” *realizes what she said, starts giggling* “I mean, bares his EMOTIONS to you.”

“I don’t know--I kind of liked the first thing you said.” 

“JOHN!” *both laugh*

*blushing* “I can’t believe I just said that.”

“You better lay off the wine, Doctor Watson!”

“I just. . .I can’t get over what a remarkable person you are, Sarah. So understanding about all this. Most women. . .well. . . they wouldn’t be.”

“Fate is fate. It’d be wrong to interfere. And besides, anyone with eyes can see you two were meant for each other.” 

“You know, I find it interesting that you seem to know more about Sherlock after only meeting him once, than I do after living with him these past few months.”

“Well, he’s not the only one who observes and deduces.”

“Sometimes it seems everyone does those things better than me.”

“You just have to look, John. All the answers are there in front of you, if you’re willing to see them.”

“Sounds like something Sherlock would say.”

“He did. I read it on his website.” *chuckle* “Oh, would I love to be a fly on the wall when you two have this talk!”

“I’m sure Mycroft’s surveillance equipment can take care of that for you.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing. So. . .where does all this leave us?”

*tips wine glass* “Friends?”

*clicks glasses together* “I’d like that.”

“Of course, if you two don’t work out. . .” 

“I’ve got you on speed-dial.”

“And you BETTER call me.”

*laughs* “I will.”

“And stop looking so worried. It’ll all work out.”

“Thanks Sarah. For everything.” *chaste kiss on cheek*

“Right then. Well, it’s late, and you’ve had a quite a bit to drink. Maybe you should stay here tonight.”

“Good idea. I don’t think I can really deal with Sherlock right now.”

“Well, you can have the sofa. Or the Lilo, if you prefer.”

“No, the sofa’s fine. I’ll just get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll talk to Sherlock in the morning. I mean, how much can change in one night?”

THE END


End file.
